Friday, July 30, 2010

It's almost time. Training camps are starting up and the air is thick with footballs. NFL preseason begins soon with college ball following closely. My Crimson Tide will be looking to defend their national title.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

When I opened the front door, I was met with an unusual sight. A short woman in a judicial robe holding some papers surrounded by several large men wearing purple SEIU t-shirts. Behind them were several well dressed men carrying briefcases, whom I assumed were lawyers, all holding cell phones to their ears. One of them bore a striking resemblance to Eric Holder. Behind them were two police officers.

"Is this the Samuel residence?" she asked curtly.

"Yes," I replied.

"OK, boys, you know what to do." The purple shirts rushed past her and, with tools in hand, began to remove our front door.

"Excuse me. Just what do you think you're doing. And who are you anyway?" I protested.

"My name's Judge Bolton and I'll thank you to refer to me as "Your Honor." she replied in a condescending tone.

I said, "But, we're not in your courtroom, this is my front porch."

"You're quite correct, Mr. Samuels. But perhaps you're not familiar with my ruling concerning doors. Just this afternoon, I ruled that your front door is racist."

"What are you talking about? That door's been there since the house was built!"

"That's not what's in dispute here. By having this door on your house, you're keeping out this Mexican family, the Juarez's. They want to live here."

"But this isn't their house. I'm the one who's making the payments," I said. My protests did not stop several people with children from coming into the house and into the living room. Soon, the TV was blasting so loudly, we had to yell at each other.

Judge Bolton continued, although in a louder voice this time. "You see, this is what we're talking about, your inherent racism."

"What racism? I'm no racist. My family and I live here and have for years. We don't discriminate against anyone. All we do is live..."

It was here that I took notice of the two policemen on the sidewalk. I raised up on my tiptoes and yelled, "Hey, what are you guys doing. Aren't you going to help me defend my home?"

They looked at me and shrugged. "We're sorry, sir. Judge Bolton's ruling means we can't help you. The only reason we're here is if you become violent or interfere with the removal of your door."

I turned to see that the guys in the SEIU shirts had suddenly stopped working and were now arguing with each other. One of them said, "No, no, you can't remove those screws, only the ones above them. It's in our contract."

Another purple shirt said, "Well, who's going to take those screws out?" "Where's Larry?" "I don't know, whaddaya askin' me for, it ain't my day to watch him." Then they started yelling at each other while another one pulled a phone and started making a call. "Guys," I said, "Go stand over there and bicker."

Still arguing, they walked away, trampling the gardenias that my wife had planted the week after our youngest daughter was born. It was the first thing she did outside when we brought her home from the hospital. I turned my attention back to Judge Bolton.

"Your Honor, I thought that our Constitution gave me the right to my own property. What about due process?"

She waved the papers in her hand toward my face. "Mr. Samuel, here is my decision. Due process has been achieved. I did that this afternoon."

She continued, "Our Constitution was never intended to deny freedom to anyone inside our country. Everyone who is here is guaranteed the rights embodied in it, regardless of nationality. Perhaps you need to get with the times and realize that we've interpreted the Constitution to reflect modern progressive values. Ours is a living Constitution that changes with the requirements of modern life here in America. Or don't you know that? Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

"But, but..."

I was pushed aside by yet another purple shirt with a screwdriver who proceeded to finish the removal of the front door.

Mrs. Samuel came running up to me and grabbed me. "What are we going to do? We can't stay here, there's no front door any more. Anyone can come right in. What if we're robbed, or worse?"

Judge Bolton looked at her and said, "This is how things are now. If you don't want to live here, you can just move."

The Democratic official insisted it's "not a gimmick or just a creative way to mock Republican ideas." The official said the point is to teach voters "what Republicans really believe and what their blueprint for governing is."

It's really heartening to see someone come to their senses. We knew it was only a matter of time.

Oh, and thank you, Tim Kaine. You're doing the country a big favor.

It's not hard to understand the reasoning that went into this decision. The Democrat-controlled Congress is looking up to see the bottom with an 11% approval rating, among the lowest on record. Democrat candidates trail in poll after poll. And what was only a pipe dream two years ago now appears to be a possibility, that Republicans could regain control not only of the House of Representatives, but also the Senate too.

And it only took eighteen months of one-party rule for the country to decide it's had enough. You could argue that Obama had a mandate to "fundamentally transform" the country, but you'd be wrong. What the Dems and this President failed to realize is that their supporters are a rabid, radical, fringe of society who don't hold American values such as freedom and honesty in high regard. Another thing that was missed in the mad rush to turn America into a third-world banana republic was that there are rules laid out in our Constitution that are specifically designed to restrain excess power grabs by any one branch of the government, rules that are currently being ignored.

The examples of mismanagement and failure are embodied in the Gulf oil spill. The initial reaction took weeks to formulate, and when it finally was implemented, there was confusion and chaos. We found out, for example, that the emergency spill response plan of the Clinton administration after the Exxon Valdez spill had not been executed, nor even tested for readiness. Numerous offers from foreign governments were refused, the Jones Act was not waived, oil skimming equipment was not to be found, badly needed skimming boom sat unused in warehouses, the list goes on.

Add to this the voluminous bills passed against the will of the people like the Healthcare Bill, TARP, the Financial Overhaul bill and others that now have Washington in control of some 70% of the economy, and it's little wonder that the American people are fed up with the Obama administration and the Pelosi-Reid Congress.

And so, we welcome the Democrats over to the Light Side of the Force. Here's their ad -

As with many fresh efforts, their message needs just a bit of tweaking. Here, I'll help.

1. Repeal the Affordable Care Act (Health insurance Reform)

This about right. We had a perfectly good method of healthcare that only needed some minor adjustment, not a gigantic new government bureaucracy. This is already negatively affecting small businesses and should be repealed and replaced with a free market solution that includes tort reform and interstate competition.

2. Privatize Social Security or phase it out altogether

Social Security will become insolvent much sooner than anticipated. We need a viable alternative that has the ability to be financially self-sufficient. President Bush tried to tackle this problem, but was denied and demonized by the Dems. It cannot and will not be phased out altogether.

Democrats are currently debating this very idea. Common sense tells you that you don't raise taxes during a recession/depression unless you want to damage the economy even further. And the phrase "big oil" is just there as the old anti-establishment saw that paints big companies as automatically evil and wicked, so drop that. Anyone who has a private retirement account probably has oil stock in their plan, so if you want to make retirees suffer, go right ahead.

5. Repeal Wall Street Reform

This is another power grab by Washington. This bill has far too many hidden goodies like racial quotas and government "oversight" and should be repealed. Didn't we have enough financial regulation already? It would be better to repeal this bill along with the Community Redevelopment Act that created the housing crisis. This idea just doesn't go far enough.

6. Protect those responsible for the oil spill and future environmental catastrophes

Sorry, Tim, this phrase is just plain, old bullshit. Hit the delete key on this one.

7 ,8, 9. Abolish the Departments of Education, Energy and the EPA.

Now you're talking. Keep these ideas, they have real merit.

10. Repeal the 17th Amendment which provides for the direct election of senators

This is also good. As we continue to rediscover our history, we're slowly finding out just how much of our Constitution has been perverted. This is one of the most egregious abuses of power during the beginning of the Progressive Era in the early 20th century. The Senate was previously elected by state assemblies to assure that the states' interests were properly represented in Washington. As we are finding out to our great dismay, Washington seeks to override the states at every opportunity. A prime example is the illegal immigrant problem in Arizona.

Overall, though, this is a move in the proper direction. Tim Kaine is to be applauded for his efforts to inform the American public and make us all more engaged in our political process.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

This post kind of follows yesterday's, being as how it's about perception vs reality. Today, let's take a good look at how the GOP has been painted by the Democrats.

First, it's important to gage the success of the Obama administration's policies and legislation so far. TARP, the Stimulus bill, Cash 4 Clunkers, the healthcare bill, the financial regulation bill were all passed with the promise of reducing the massive debt. Never mind that the deficit has been engineered by the Democrats in Congress during their nearly four year old control of that august body. Have their policies worked? The White House Budget Office said no in a report released last Friday. If that isn't an accidental indictment of failure, I don't know what is.

Next, let's look at how the Democrats want you to view the Republicans. They've painted the GOP as the "party of no." They want you to see the Republicans as the main enemy of the Obama agenda. Never mind that Republicans have a decided minority in Congress. They are so few in number that they are essentially irrelevant when it comes to passing legislation. The Democrats hold solid majorities in both the House and the Senate, enough that they have virtually unlimited power to pass any bill at any time, without regard or even acknowledgement of the Republicans.

But that doesn't stop them from needing a villain. Any opposition to their policies will do. Numbers and majorities don't matter. It's always those evil Rethuglicans who are standing in the way of progress. Unfortunately, it seems to work, because there are a lot of otherwise intelligent Americans who think that the GOP still controls Congress. Thanks a lot, Mainstream Media.

But, back to reality.

We're still a people who value results. Real, tangible results. And we don't see them. In fact, we're seeing the opposite from the Democrats in Congress and the White House. The economy is in the doldrums, the national unemployment rate remains roughly twice what it was during the Bush administration, and businesses are in a holding pattern, circling the airport, waiting for any break in the clouds that would allow a landing to refuel.

When it comes to the things that truly matter to the country, Democrats are the real party of "no." Their policies say, in essence, "no" to prosperity and growth, "no" to the aspirations of the American people, "no" to innovation, "no" to the entrepreneurial spirit that is ingrained into the nations' DNA.

No, you can't start your own business.

No, you can't provide for your family.

No, you can't chart your own destiny in the greatest country in the worlds' history.

No, you can't have the American Dream.

No, you can't break free of needless, unnecessary regulation and miles of red tape.

No, you can't set your thermostat at 72 degrees.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Mama Mia! Let me go!

Which is the better message? Yes, you can or No, you cannot? Which is more in line with the human spirit, freedom or slavery? Granted, there are many subtle shades of both, but in the final analysis, it's either one or the other.

Psychologically speaking, control over others necessarily involves restrictions. While this is required for children, it's anathema to the mature adult. Time and experience, along with our conscience, show us what to do and what not to do. We won't always succeed and will occasionally veer from the proper path in life, but most of us regain our own footing. The odd disaster will even serve a purpose, too. At least we can learn what not to do.

And we are learning some very painful lessons from our collective political decisions.

Monday, July 26, 2010

There is a saying in politics - "Perception is reality". Well, for those of us who live in the real world, reality is reality and perception is perception. Only in the backwards world of politics would anyone even attempt to combine the two.

However, that doesn't stop political operatives whose main goal is "the win". You've no doubt noticed that all the major pieces of legislation that have been passed against our will were couched in the rhetorical garb of "a win for Obama" rather than what was necessary and beneficial for the country.

Take the massive health care bill.

Please.

Granted, we needed to update our healthcare system. But the best way was to deregulate it in order to remove the onerous costs of compliance, not add more of it. Although it's not hindsight anymore now than when it was argued at the time, we already had a system in place that operated efficiently, the private sector. All that was needed was to streamline it to allow the free market to be more competitive and we would have seen costs come down and coverage increase.

But I digress, which I'm getting good at lately.

Back to this idea of political perception In the absence of reality (which is showing all of us that the Obama administration is a gigantic failure), the perception must be maintained at all costs, which means denying reality to focus on the perception. Which helps to explain why Obama has sent a rescue team to the Gulf region.

Not to help the residents with put their lives back together. Not to assist with the mountain of paperwork, not to assess the ecological damage or clean oily birds. Not to scout out possible locations for the First Familys' next vacation. But to help repair the perception of damage this administration deserves due to its mishandling of the spill.

A political rescue team. Think about that for a minute.

From the Politico article:

The effort came about after the White House grew concerned over political damage from not having a permanent presence in the Gulf Coast states. Obama’s top advisers summoned a small group of young former campaign staffers working in the administration to the White House for a meeting, said a source with knowledge of the meeting. No one mentioned 2012 specifically, but it was clear the administration’s approach to the oil spill had the potential to hurt the president’s reelection campaign and that the issue required more hands-on attention.

Awwww. Perhaps if this administration had its' own oil spill disaster plan ready (which we now know wasn't even tested for readiness) and had moved quickly to begin the cleanup within a few days of the spill, that they would have been perceived as effective. Instead, there was little action in the early days and weeks of the spill, thus making it far more damaging to the surrounding area, which, coincidentally didn't support Obama in the election.

"The Obama campaign was brilliant at connecting with people emotionally, and what I’m seeing and feeling on the ground as I talk to people in Sarasota is that [it] is not happening,” said state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, a Democrat who organized for the campaign and introduced Obama at a rally in Sarasota two days before the election.

“So they have some catching up to do,” Fitzgerald added. “He can’t lose those votes."

If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about "progressives" and their priorities, nothing will. Political power is the priority, not effectively running the country. Hope and change are just words. What matters is peoples' lives and their livelihoods, which unfortunately are being ravaged by the spill and this administrations' seemingly purposeful mishandling of it.

So, is there a perception of incompetence? Political payback for states that didn't support Obama? Gross negligence? Punishment?

It's too bad. It didn't have to be this way. The Obama administration could have recognized the potential for damage on the day of the spill and acted immediately to minimize it. The response could have been swift and effective, demonstrating to the country that is was capable of leadership.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Since the Boys are at the Brickyard this weekend, it's only fitting that this blog dedicate today's post to the Journolistas and their hatred of us NASCAR fans.

And speaking of NASCAR, the SEC held it annual Mardi Gras, grand jury hearing, Media Day this week. Already there are questions about players' attending a party in Miami where there were sports agents present. Oh,well, what's a football season without a good scandal anyway?

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Another day, another stomach turning story chronicling the despicable actions of a group of power-mad, left-wing Marxists, Socialists, and Communists disguised as journalists. Here's today's headline from the Daily Caller and their organized efforts to smear Sarah Palin.

I'm so pissed at these people I don't know what to do, besides help to expose them and remind America of the damage they've done to the country. Have these people no shame? Have they no regard for their fellow countrymen? How do they sleep at night knowing what they've done to us? Or are they really that sick, to lie, cheat, confuse and conceal vital information about Barack Obama that should have rightfully cost him the election? Each and every one of them deserves to be shunned, ostracized, criticized, and publicly humiliated for the rest of their lives for what they've done.

They hold the lion's share of blame for the current state of our nation. As more facts emerge about their collusion to defraud the country in something as vitally important as a presidential election, we discover just how much these people hate their own country, which means they hate us. What we're finding out is political sausage-making of the worst kind.

We can show our great displeasure with our pocketbooks, as I suggested yesterday. The institutions who employ these vermin should be forced out of business, since they have shown themselves to be beneath our contempt. Their hatred for America proves that they are enemies of the country and unworthy of the title American. As I find the names on this despicable list of sub-humans, I'll present them so you'll know who and what to boycott.

And that's just today. If you read any of these publications, boycott them. Have a subscription to any of them? Cancel it. If your local newspaper carries any stories from them, cancel that subscription too. The goal is to stop the flow of anti-American hatred from these people in any way possible.

We can fight back. We should fight back.

UPDATED!

No sooner did I complete this post than I found a more comprehensive list of Journolistas over at the American Thinker blog, courtesy of my fellow Morons over at Ace of Spades. I strongly recommend you print this out and tape it to the front of your refrigerator. That's where my copy's going.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Little did I realize when I wrote Monday's post on Alinsky's tactics and their use in the media that The Daily Caller would drop the Journolist bomb. This story should be headline news and serve as a rude wake-up call to the nation.

We've been had. We also now have proof we've been had. Deceived. Lied to. Bamboozled. Hoodwinked. Shanghaied. Screwed, blued, and tattooed.

Never before in American history has there been such blatant collusion in an attempt to get a presidential candidate elected, especially when that candidate's background and political philosophy was as far out the mainstream as Obama's. In fact, given that America is a center-right country, the only way for someone like Obama to get elected was to lie about him and discredit those who told the truth about his radical past. Journolist was comprised of over 400 writers, all of whom were leftists.

Now, should you somehow doubt the seriousness of these journalists, should you think they were essentially harmless and merely voicing their opinion, as they have the Constitutionally protected right to do, this quote from Journolist member Spencer Ackerman, currently on the staff of Wired, should dispel that myth.

It’s not necessary to jump to Wright-qua-Wright’s defense. What is necessary is to raise the cost on the right of going after the left. In other words, find a rightwinger’s [sic] and smash it through a plate-glass window. Take a snapshot of the bleeding mess and send it out in a Christmas card to let the right know that it needs to live in a state of constant fear. Obviously I mean this rhetorically.

But wait! There's more!

If the right forces us all to either defend Wright or tear him down, no matter what we choose, we lose the game they’ve put upon us. Instead, take one of them — Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, who cares — and call them racists. Ask: why do they have such a deep-seated problem with a black politician who unites the country? What lurks behind those problems? This makes *them* sputter with rage, which in turn leads to overreaction and self-destruction.

(Emphasis mine)

This is yet another example of knowing that something is wrong, but not being able to put your finger on what it is, until you're shown the proof. Then you want to pull your finger out of the turd as soon as you can.

We knew we were being manipulated, we just weren't aware of the extent of it. As new facts emerge, I have the sinking feeling we'll be discovering far more details of just how far this goes. Even given the small amount of information revealed so far, this should bring about the swift demise of the MSM in America. Here's how you can help. If you recognize any of the writers named in this scandal in your local newspaper, cancel your subscription. Ditto for any magazines you find them in. If they write on a web site you frequent, remove it from your favorites. FYI, I cancelled my subscription to the local newspaper years ago due to its left-leaning bias. I have a real problem with paying to be lied to.

We don't have to tolerate this. We can, through the power of our purchases, show these liars that the jig is up. If it results in the loss of some of our once-respected publications, then so be it. They've brought this upon themselves. If they're going to lie to us in order to get a radical leftist like Obama elected (and who can doubt that he's done a great deal of damage to the country in a very short length of time), then why should we support them? Let them go under. They clearly don't have our best interests in mind. I'll be the first one in line to with my shovel to help bury them.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

If our economy wasn't in such terrible shape, this article in the New York Times would be side-splittingly funny. Where Did the Jobs Go instead proves that government of, by, and for college professors just doesn't work.

When our economy took its' nosedive just in time to affect the Presidential election of 2008, Barack Obama was poised, tanned and ready. He had a grand plan to reverse course and set sail for the economic promised land. Economists everywhere hailed his proposal as just what the country needed: a massive infusion of tax dollars to help prop up the flailing private sector. Millions of new jobs would be created with this money, good paying ones at that. Americans of every stripe would see their dreams fulfilled. There would be a chicken in every pot and a car in every driveway. Happy days are here again!

Wow, what a flashback. I may have turned the knob on the Wayback Machine a little too far that time. Ooops, sorry Mr. Peabody.

We gave the new guy a chance. We Americans are like that. You get the same chance as everyone else. You also get the same questions as everyone else, too. Like, "When will this work? How much will it cost? How long will it take to see positive results?" When it comes to ideas, we're all for the ones that actually work and achieve the expected results. No results? Bad results? Well, you had your chance and your ideas didn't work. At least now, we know what not to do. Next!

That's what makes this article so funny. Watching economists with advanced degrees and high sounding titles admit that they're baffled by the lack of results from Obama's fiscal policies. From the article:

Welcome as it is, progress toward finally capping the gulf oil leak hasn’t resolved the biggest conundrum facing President Obama before the midterm elections.That conundrum, which reclaims center stage in Washington this week, is this: Why is unemployment so high?

That's a great one. Got any more?

“The stakes are enormous,” said Alan S. Blinder, a Princeton economist who advised President Bill Clinton, because the answers are “going to dictate the pace at which jobs come back.”

With eight million jobs lost since the recession began, “We’re climbing out of a gigantic hole,” said David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s top political adviser. “Until we fill the hole, we’ll get limited credit.”

Once you get outside of the Beltway, there's this country called "America". The people who live in that country are called "Americans". They do something everyday called "work". When they work, they create something called "wealth". This wealth is also called "money", which is what they "spend" at places called "stores". These places sell things called "products". Now, here comes the tricky part, you guys, so try to pay attention. These "products" cost "money". The more "money" these "Americans" have, the more "products" they can buy.

Here's where you guys come in. You "work" in a place that doesn't create anything. You don't have to "produce" anything or make anything work. You make up things called "laws" and "regulations" that keep these "Americans" from doing things. The more of these things you make, the less money these "Americans" can "spend". The less these "Americans" can "spend", the worse our economy gets.

More laws and regulations equals less money to spend. Got it? Good.

Now, here come the part that I won't spoil for you, because I want to see the look on your face when you finally figure out what it is you're doing wrong and what you need to do to fix it.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Remember when dissent was the highest form of patriotism? Hillary Clinton said it.

I'm sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we're Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration.

Of course, her beef was with the Bush administration when she said that. Now that we've entered the Age Of Obama, things have changed.

Do you wish to debate or disagree with this administration when it comes to, oh, say, the massive debt that has been legislated in the past eighteen months? If you do, now you're a racist.

Do you wish to debate the merit of an open border policy that has resulted in Phoenix Arizona becoming the second leading city in the world for kidnappings? If you do, now you're a racist.

Do you wish to debate or disagree with this administration in the uniform application of the law when it comes to voter intimidation? If you do, now you're a racist.

I could go on, but you get the point.

That was then, this is now. The rules have changed. This administration has instituted Alinsky's Rules for Radicals. The ends justify the means. Any tactic that results in the radical takeover of America is OK. Lies, deceit, confusion, deception, they're all in play now at the highest levels of power in Washington. That's why the Tea Partiers are now being cast as racists. We've seen this coming for a while now, so we're not surprised.

The question is how to fight back against the lies of the left. The answer is to first take a look at their tactics. Mr. Alinsky provides their game plan. Now that we're aware of their rules, let's see what they say and how they're being carried out.

Rule 1: Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent thinks you have. If your organization is small, hide your numbers in the dark and raise a din that will make everyone think you have many more people than you do.

This is accomplished through the use of the media. In the old days, back when we used to trust our news sources, we believed that everyone was pretty much of one opinion. Today, however, we see a leftist bias in news reporting and can more easily discern that bias. Now we know that our once-respected media doesn't adhere to honest reporting, the who, what, when and where of the facts. There are still many who don't yet realize that the media reporters are living in an insulated area where challenges to their agenda are rare. What you see in the MSM is now recognized as being out of touch with mainstream American thought.

Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.

Rule 8: Keep the pressure on. Use different tactics and actions and use all events of the period for your purpose.

It's two, two, two tactics in one! Smear your opponent, even if he's right and accurate in his assessment, the truth be damned. Twist everything into something it isn't. Encourage a new attack daily if possible.

The protests against President Bush are ignored, as are the signs showing him as a chimpanzee, or as Hitler. Also ignored are Hollywood's attempts at demonization. You aren't allowed to recall that all of the members of Congress who shouted "Bush lied!" were the same ones who originally supported the war in Iraq.

Now we can examine how these tactics can be defeated. We need look no further than Alinsky himself to see how it's done.

Rule 7: A tactic that drags on for too long becomes a drag. Commitment may become ritualistic as people turn to other issues.

Since the radical leftists cannot debate on the issues, they have no recourse other than to lie. The problem is that the American people aren't stupid, as is assumed by the left. We know when a problem is real and when it's being manufactured out of thin air. We know, for example, that racism, real live hatred for another based purely on skin color, is thankfully extremely rare. We tend to treat others as we wish to be treated. This is encoded into our DNA. We have the ability as a nation to mature and grow beyond our limitations.

This final quote may hold the key to defeating the radical leftists who currently hold the reins of power.

According to Alinsky, the main job of the organizer is to bait an opponent into reacting. “The enemy properly goaded and guided in his reaction will be your major strength.”

Patient non-response is the answer. Look your aggressor in the eye, but don't allow yourself to play his game.

Play your own game. Play it well and with consistency. Don't be "properly goaded" or "guided in your reaction". Don't give in to the urge to react, which is what your enemy wants.

Remember that Saul Alinsky dedicated his Rules for Radicals to Lucifer. If that doesn't tell you all you need to know about him, it should.

Friday, July 16, 2010

The Grand Dame of Golfing hosts the British Open this week. Yesterday saw a local boy do good, one Rory McIlroy who posted a record-tying score of 63. Tiger shot 5 under and Phil Mickelson was 1 over par. The morning scores were considerably lower than the afternoon scores, thanks to the inclement weather later in the day. If anyone needs me over the weekend, I'll be in front of the telly, furiously saving beers from an icy death...

As Glenn Reynolds would say, more of this, please. New Zealand researchers have developed bionic legs for paraplegics to replace wheelchairs.

This is guaranteed to leave a mark, even from beyond the grave. Longtime Nevada resident requests, "Please, in lieu of flowers, vote for another more worthy candidate” instead of Harry Reid.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Since this post is about the law, I think I'm legally required to tell you that I'm not a lawyer. That might be a law, I don't know.

Today's post is about the illegal immigrant debate centered around Arizona's new law to curb illegal immigration and the Obama administrations efforts to defeat it in court.

There can be no doubt that Arizona has a big problem with illegal immigration. Phoenix now holds the unwanted distinction of being the world's number two city where you are most likely to be kidnapped. Mexican drug cartels have established the state as their main route for drug importation into the US. A large swath of land is off limits to Americans due to the danger that drug runners pose to anyone who might disrupt their illegal trade, inside a National Park.

This is a situation that the good citizens of Arizona want resolved. Their pleas for help have fallen upon deaf ears in Washington for many years. For some inexplicable reason, the Federal government, who claims to have sole responsibility for border enforcement, is refusing to do its legal duty to enforce immigration laws. No one has explained the reason for Federal inaction. What is heard instead is the insistence that the southern border is more secure than ever.

Arizonans know better.

After years of Washington essentially allowing the invasion of the US by Mexicans, the state passed its own bill to enforce border security and insure the safety of the people. S.B. 1070 was written with an eye towards winning the inevitable legal challenge: its' wording closely mimics the language of Federal immigration law. Provisions in the law explicitly spell out the circumstances under which a suspect can be questioned about their immigrant status in a further attempt to deflect charges of racial profiling. In all, this bill was written to be as effective as possible to protect its citizens from Mexican criminals.

Here is where the story takes a turn towards the questionable. The Obama administration is currently seeking to strike down the law, saying it interferes with Federal immigration law. Many in Washington initially condemned the law without reading it. The crude irony in all this is that the state law was made necessary as a direct result of Federal authorities refusing to do their Constitutional duty.

Now here comes the sticky part of the government's argument against Arizona: the DOJ claims that the law interferes with its jurisdiction and impedes federal enforcement of the law. Washington claims to hold sole authority over the border and that no state has the right to interfere with enforcement in any way.

OK, Washington, if Arizona can't enact a law that interferes with federal enforcement of immigration laws, what about the many sanctuary cities in America that have passed their own laws directly prohibiting any cooperation with federal immigration authorities, cities such as San Francisco? Is that not interference with federal authority moreso than Arizona, whose law is nearly identical to Washington's and doesn't seek to interfere, but instead repeats the federal law nearly word for word?

It's clear that sanctuary cities are in violation of the law, not only the Constitution, but also the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that requires states to assist federal authorities in immigration matters.

Our Constitution mandates the enforcement of all laws passed by Congress and signed by the President.

All of them.

Not just some of them. And not just when you feel like it.

All of them.

It is crystal clear that President Obama cannot pick and choose which laws he wishes to enforce. Our republic doesn't work that way. We are a nation of laws, not of the whims of powerful men. Our legal framework is the glue that binds us together as a nation. Indeed, it is the sole reason for our existence. Ours is the world's oldest Constitution because of our adherence to the principles enshrined in it. We create laws we deem necessary to maintain order and repeal the ones we no longer need or want. This is the true nature of our freedom.

Anything less is anarchy.

Anything less defeats the whole idea of any society. Why have laws if they're not enforced?

In this blog's humble opinion, this issue could be a defining point in our history. Eventually, a suit will be filed that questions this administrations' selective enforcement of the law. The Supreme Court will be asked once again if our Constitution is the law of the land.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

In what should be an interesting meeting, a group of business leaders are to meet today with President Obama to discuss his administrations' policies and how they are resulting in prolonging our current Great Recession.

This blog would love to be a fly on the wall during that meeting.

This isn't just any group. It includes the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, heavyweights all. They'll be there to speak to a tone-deaf administration that has done more to cripple the free market than any other administration since Jimmy Carter. They've also issued an open letter to the President. (Note - the link is at WSJ article linked above, too long to cut and paste, sorry.)

Obama's demonization of business shows us just how hostile he is to the lifeblood of America. He ignores even the basics of economics and disregards the many positive things that our free market has done for our nation and the world. He hews to the false radical leftist philosophy that all corporations are evil and that business is a zero sum game; profits earned are taken away from someone else, namely the worker. Nothing could be further from the truth. He also ignores the fact that many Americans rely on a healthy economy for their retirement income. Obama also seems unaware that the taxes paid by businesses are funding the very large government he is intent on creating ,which are currently lagging as the economy worsens.

But then again, Obama has no experience in the real world or the business world to draw upon. His adult life has been spent inside the ivy-covered walls of academia, insulated from the realities of the marketplace where bad decisions affect many. He's never felt the weight of responsibility of meeting a payroll upon which his employees depend for their livelihood. He's never had to justify the expense of a new hire or the purchase of a new piece of equipment. Balance sheets are as foreign to him as the notion of American exceptionalism. He has likewise never known the appreciation of coworkers, or the satisfactions of a job well done, on time and within budget. He has no knowledge of having a good reputation in his field. He's also unfamiliar with the feeling of passing along his knowledge to an eager young employee who wants to learn.

No, there's a lot that Mr. Obama has yet to learn about business. And the leaders who gather today in Washington risk the very real possibility of this meeting turning into this Far Side cartoon.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Leave it to the left to introduce the most absurd ideas into the national conversation and then proceed to endorse them as normal, mainstream thought.

Take multiculturalism for example. This absurd notion takes as its premise that all cultures are equally good and can contribute nothing but good things to the melting pot that is America.

Here's another one: animals have legal rights.

This is the best one so far - postmodernism. This one posits the idea that there is no right or wrong.

P. T. Barnum had all kinds of respect for the types of people who believed such nonsense. He called them suckers. He was right. There is one born every minute.

How else to explain the numbers of people who until recently believed that mankind was capable of altering the weather of a planet the size and complexity of Earth? The good news is that even the most gullible of us can awaken. Sometimes it takes a while, but it still happens.

Today's subject is yet another misguided notion, voiced by none other than First Lady Michelle Obama. While addressing the NAACP, she bemoans the fact that there is inequality in America, particularly in the black community. While her concerns sound valid at first, upon closer examination, what she's really advancing is yet another intellectual slap in the face.

This one is the idea that outcomes should all be equal. That everyone should all have the same intelligence and abilities, that everyone should be equal to everyone else in everything. There's only one thing missing in her belief.

Reality.

Instead of recognizing true individuality, as the proponents of diversity do (really, they don't, but that's for another post), she seems to think that everyone everywhere should all be equal. That sounds fine in the faculty lounge at a liberal university, but out here in the real world, it just isn't so. Never has been, never will be.

But then again, leftists never let reality intrude on a good fantasy. I wish I could recall who said this so I could properly attribute it, but it goes something like this, "People tend to believe what they wish to be true, instead of what is true." That one sentence tends to encapsulate all of mankinds' problems.

You don't need to think for too long to see the inherent absurdity and plain ole' idiocy of that idea. There would be no winners or losers. No one to emulate. No one to learn from and no need to learn. Sports would be a thing of the past because every participant would receive a trophy regardless of where they finished. Indeed, some of this (lack of) mentality is already poisoning the minds of youngsters in some organized sports around the nation. Equality of outcome and equality of opportunity are polar opposites in addition to being mutually exclusive.

No one is the same as anyone else. This is by Design. And we can thank Goodness that it is so. Life wouldn't be what it is if everyone were the same. What would be the point?

Some of the leftists who believe in this pap even point to the words of our Founders. "All men are created equal." they sneer. Um, sorry y'all, but you've got that all wrong, as usual. They were talking about a citizens' dealings with government, not a kids' soccer game. The notion of equality before the law was what they believed. Power was to be dealt equally to everyone all the time. There should be no favoritism, or cronyism, or anything of the sort. Laws are to be administered to the rich and poor alike. No one is above the reach of the law for any reason. However, one need look no further than our own Department of Justice to see that this administration holds these principles in contempt.

There is a sad irony in the First Lady's words. The policies put in place by her husband and his leftist friends are directly responsible for the inequality she points out.

That's a fact. But we can't have facts in a national conversation, especially about race, now can we?

When false notions become political policy, enforced with laws that deny reality, that's when we begin our long downhill slide into something far less than the America our Founders gave us.

Monday, July 12, 2010

White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs has made it official. The House of Representatives will be taken by the GOP this coming November.

This is great news, to be sure. But the GOP may be in danger of being like the dog that chases cars all day. When he catches one, what will he do with it?

In the interest of the nation, this blog is here to help. The GOP certainly needs it. The Democrats in Congress have been on a tear since the election of President Obama. They've managed to force one unpopular piece of legislation after another on an unwilling nation. The reaction from the GOP has been the sound of crickets. In our Age of Information, where the news cycle is now 24/7, there is literally no excuse for the Republican Party to remain in the shadows. There are so many ways to circumvent the MSM that it boggles the mind. Apparently, most of the GOP leadership has been boggled to the point of stunned silence since we never hear an alternative to the big-government, freedom-reducing, job-killing policies of this administration and the Democrat controlled Congress.

So here, in no certain order of importance, are some tips that the GOP could consider once they're in office.

1. Balance the budget and get our mounting debt under control immediately. You could even start working on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution that will solve this problem once and for all.

2. Start reducing the size and scope of the Federal government by eliminating the Departments of Energy and Education and the Environmental Protection Agency for starters. Return these functions to the states where they belong.

3. Repeal ObamaCare, the remnants of the Stimulus Bill and just about every other bill that this Congress has foisted on the people against our wishes. This includes any bills that might be passed during the lame duck session.

4. Make General Motors and Chrysler private companies again.

5. Secure our borders. Critics of the effort constantly complain that we don't have a system to insure orderly immigration. That is just plain bullshit. Perhaps they've never heard of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

6. Institute a flat tax of absolutely no more that 10 per cent of gross income that cannot be raised without a two-thirds majority popular vote. Keep the deduction for mortgage interest and college loans. Tie this to the balanced budget amendment above.

7. Repeal NAFTA and institute policies that will revive the manufacturing sector of our economy. We need the diversity of job opportunities that manufacturing provides, especially to those who want to work with their hands.

8. Pass a national right-to-work law. No one should be forced to join a union if they don't want to.

9. Replace the United Nations with a new coalition of democratic nations. Have as a requirement for membership free and open elections and a functioning democratic constitution that recognizes the right of the people to be free. We might be the only ones in it, so what?

10. Craft a national energy policy that encourages the harvesting of our abundant natural resources in a safe way. Make it much easier to construct new nuclear power plants and oil refineries. Open up areas that have been senselessly closed to drilling. Abandon the false notion of "climate change" or "global warming" or whatever it's called this week.

11. Pass a tort reform bill that drastically limits the number of frivolous lawsuits and repeal every hate crime law. The lawyer lobby will scream, but again, so what? No one should live in fear of a lawsuit if they've done nothing wrong. Return the ideals of right and wrong to legality and illegality.

12. Restore NASA to its original purpose of maintaining the lead in space exploration that we've earned. Go to the Moon and Mars, not because it is easy.

13. Answer critics with the truth. Any time someone, particularly in the media, says or writes a false statement, call them out on it. Defend American values such as honesty, individual freedom and responsibility at every opportunity without cowering or making excuses. If you hear something false, say something true.

14. Root out corruption whenever and wherever it is found. Restore trust in government that we can once again be a beacon to the world and set the example of how government is to be operated, which is in the best interests of the majority of Americans.

15. Dismiss this notion of personal political wins and losses. Politicians who think this way (as we see nearly every issue painted as a victory or loss for Obama instead of the nation) need to be rooted out of the system. We also need to end the practice of political donors receiving direct favors in repayment for contributions. If a politician gets a contribution, it should be understood that it's in repayment for the politician doing the will of the people and standing up for American values, which indirectly benefits everyone.

16. Be aware that any move to the political left or towards a larger government is directly at odds with the Founders notions of limited government and maximum individual freedom, and is thus to be avoided at all times.

This is by no means everything that needs to be done to restore American values to Washington, but it's a start. This blog has done its part. Now it's time for the GOP to do theirs.

Paul, the psychic World Cup octopus, is on a roll. Or in a pan with a garlic saute, depending on who you're rooting for. He has competition from a parakeet. Of course, the winner receives this genuine replica of the World Cup trophy made of cocaine.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

I was going to write about something that's been bothering me since yesterday. I started out wanting to more fully examine the video of New Black Panther King Shamir Shabazz and his Amazing Racist Rant. I wanted to write an open letter to him in the hopes of opening up a dialog that might help resolve his irrational anger against white people.

I wanted him to explain to me the "condition" that he spoke about on the city street as shown in the clip. Obviously, he seems concerned about the condition of his race in America since he mentioned it quite loudly. I wanted to ask him about the oppression that only he seems to see. Having watched the video several times, I'm struck by the absence of chains upon him. I also noticed that no police appeared in the clip while he was speaking his mind. No snarling dogs, no fire hoses, no ax handles wielded by angry whites.

No, I didn't see one thing that has been part of our countrys' past iniquities towards blacks. Maybe it's just me, but what I saw was a black man speaking racial hatred freely and openly advocating racial infanticide without fear of retribution from police, or the mayor, or anyone else in power. Nor from anyone else within earshot. Now I don't care who you are, that's freedom right there.

I also wondered about his personal life. Is he single? Would his wife or girlfriend agree with his stance toward whites? Is he this angry all the time? Hasn't he ever held a child in his arms and marveled at the potential squirming there? Has he ever wondered if that child could be the next Martin Luther King or Clarence Thomas?

I thought I'd ask if he thinks that his considerable anger towards whites was a step in the right direction to solve what he sees as a big problem in this country. Does he think that by displaying his anger he will gain the admiration of others? Does he hope to inspire young people to help the nation progress towards a truly color-blind society that recognizes the goodness of peoples' character and spirit?

And what of his relationship with God? After all, he's not alone in life, whether he admits it or not. What would God think of his attitude toward his fellow man and his failure to keep one of the only two things we've been Instructed to do: Love God and love your brother as you would yourself.

I also wanted to let him know that while I don't care for his views and I think he's wrong on many points, I don't hate him and I don't want his children dead.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

It's a somewhat slow news day, which means that there's so much gloom and doom, I can't decide where to start or which story is worse.

Obama has filed suit against Arizona's illegal immigrant law. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer calls it accurately, a "waste". If past administrations had done their job, this wouldn't be necessary. The mere fact that we're discussing this issue is proof of just how far we've fallen away from the principles our Founders held. In a sane world, the right thing would already have been done, namely, the border would be secure, and the invasion of illegal immigrants wouldn't be happening at all.

As with most of our problems, we've pretty much brought this sad situation upon ourselves. Years and years of Washington's failure to secure our borders sends a clear message that we're just not serious about it. If we don't respect our own laws, why should anyone else respect them?

And speaking of laws, Pajamas Media has a post today highlighting the nice young man that was spared the injustice of punishment for his role in the voter intimidation case in Philadelphia during the '08 elections. Remeber the two New Black Panther members who were out in front of the polling place, one gently caressing his nightstick and threatening white voters? From the post, here he is, publicly extolling the virtues of his political beliefs.

Listen to this young, hip urban gentleman gently informing the crowd of his beliefs and then tell me you wouldn't want your daughter to date him.

Meanwhile, oil continues to gush from the Deepwater Horizon well. Progress is being made in drilling the relief wells, they might be finished by next week. However, we may have a bigger problem than we thought. Some 27,000 old wells may be leaking also. UPDATE. From El Rushbo this afternoon. Paraphrasing, it goes like this, "If nobody's checking the wells, how do they know they might be leaking?" Good point. I stand corrected. Actually, I sit corrected...

The excrement has not stopped striking the blades of the fan yet. Here's some more fallout about the incredibly idiotic directives given to NASA Administrator John Bolden by Obama, this time from somebody named Gene Cernan. I'll join Commander Cernan in his demand that Bolden resign. Anything that deviates from the goal of American leadership in space is a waste of time, tax dollars, and considerable talent. Michelle Malkin and her merry gang of mischief-makers have been busy creating a new logo for the agency that better reflects their new focus on, um, Muslim contributions to engineering and science. Whatever they are.

Here's a sample.

More chewy goodness at the link.

It's along about this time that one of my readers will jab the other one and say, "Why doesn't he post anything uplifting?" Well, OK, if you insist. Linsey Lohan is going to jail.

It's news days like this that make one want to save a beer, perhaps several, from an icy death while admiring the scenery from the back porch.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Here's something else to be added to the list of things our country used to have in the era BO, "Before Obama": a strong and vibrant space program that led the world in innovation.

In case you haven't yet heard, NASA Administrator John Bolden, in an interview with AL-Jazeera, outlined his duties as given to him by President Obama.

"When I became the NASA administrator -- or before I became the NASA administrator -- he charged me with three things. One was he wanted me to help re-inspire children to want to get into science and math, he wanted me to expand our international relationships, and third, and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science ... and math and engineering," Bolden said in the interview.

Notice that not one of these directives from Obama mentions that NASA is to succeeed, or excel, or lead us back into space. No, there's none of that. In fact, these directives are specifically designed to reduce and diminish our role in space exploration and research and to make us no more relevant in mankinds' reach for the stars than the Muslim nations he wants to make "feel good".

Someone will have to refresh my memory. What is it that Muslim nations have done to elevate mankind in the past few centuries? Which Muslim nation now has an active and peaceful space program that employs the best and brightest engineers and technicians? Which Muslim nation is it that has contributed one thing in the area of engineering that has led to any advances in medicine, or any other discipline that has helped anyone live longer, or to toil less, or saved a sick child?

That's what I thought.

Psychologically, this is yet another manifestation of Obama's eagerness to punish America. It seems that one trait despots have in common is to remove any hope for the populace. Obama certainly shares this goal for America. Why else would he kill the Space Shuttle program without a replacement vehicle ready to service the Space Station? Why else would he hand over our responsibilities to the Russians, who clearly aren't capable of even the most rudimentary of tasks like safely docking with the Station, as last weeks' failure showed? We must still pay for access into low Earth orbit, only now it is far less reliable and safe, thus putting our astronauts in unecessary danger. In addition, that money goes to help a country that isn't our friend, as last weeks' discovery of a Russian spy ring reminds us.

Having once proudly worked for a NASA subcontractor some twenty years ago, I feel sad for the agency and for the country. It will take many years to undo the damage wrought by this most un-American president ever.

Is there no end to the destruction of a once-great nation under the Obama regime? Is there no institution that will be left intact? Must America sit idly and watch as a sitting president tears down the fabric of everything that we once revered?

If this is what passes for vision under the Obama regime, then let's just go ahead and dissolve NASA. The agency hasn't enjoyed the support of the Dems in Congress for nearly a generation, given that the funding and direction of the agency have been perverted to things like studying "global climate research" and other such nonsense instead of eveloping new technology to help us maintain the lead we've earned as the world's spacefarers.

Perhaps in the future, when we elect a real President, we can resume the course that we originally set upon, to lead the world.

Monday, July 5, 2010

What grand idea is this, that we should be free? That we should govern ourselves and our affairs best to our liking and desires, relying our our instincts, our intellect and our conscience. That we should live in harmony with others free, unbound by useless rules made up by some distant person who knows not of our lives, nor our families, nor our dreams and desires, and certainly not our hopes.

What grand idea is this, that we should unite as free souls and govern ourselves as we choose? That we should gather, talk, decide which path is best to walk, then choose those who represent our wishes to act as we would act in their stead, embracing our values of freedom and liberty, to govern in a manner most pleasing to us. That these people be our friends and neighbors, knowing us as people to be honored and obeyed, much as in marriage, for it is a union we seek. A union with others of like mind, seeing that power is held in restraint until needed, not to be abused nor turned toward a populace, but to defend the values that are deeply held against those who wish otherwise, namely tyranny and oppression.

What grand idea is this, that we should show to the world what wonders are possible to a free people? That we should toil and sweat and provide for ourselves and our families that which is most pleasant to them and us, at the same time by our example, showing others in the world how to best conduct the affairs of man with malice toward none save those who would deprive us of our rights as freemen. That governance of self is done with restraint and vigilance, placing first the innocence of liberty such as a doctor, to do no harm. To shine as a light to the downtrodden and defeated, that any who should desire the slavery of their peoples be shown as the wicked they are, separate from God's gentle instruction to love others as ourselves.

What grand idea is this that we should ourselves fall into the clutches of our enemies and find them in our midst? For if they do not love freedom, liberty and the loving kindness that supports these things, they should be encouraged not to change a people, but to change themselves. Failing that, they should encourage the thought of seeking out a like minded people in travel, some place where their views are more widely held, enshrined in some foreign land, finding there the solace for their tortured views. We wish not their demise, we seek instead to be free to pursue those things we deem pleasing, unfettered by those who wish not upon themselves the blessings and responsibilities of freedom.

What grand idea is this, that we should from time to time renew these things that make us who we are? An honest examination, that we remain true to ourselves, our God, and our families, measured by those values handed down to us from our forefathers and those who have fought and died for our freedoms, that we should not be found wanting nor wandering.

That freedom never perish, for its' fate is uncertain. That all times, we make our efforts known to the world, that we wish only for ourselves and others, peace and liberty, for the two are inseparable, bound in Heaven by God intended for a just and honest people, unafraid and steadfast in their belief of freedom and liberty.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Sometimes you see something on TV and you have to stop and ask yourself if you saw what you just saw. If you have the means, you rewind and watch again. If that doesn't do it, you rewind and watch until it finally sinks in. And still, there's a part of you that refuses to accept it.

That was my reaction to this video of Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) at a recent town hall meeting.

We have a real problem with border security. This issue has been ignored for years and by several Presidents. President Bush's failure to secure the border was part of the reason for his low approval numbers even among the people who otherwise supported him.

The consequences of Washington's failure to enforce the nations' immigration laws has led directly to the deaths of many innocent Americans. Recently, a large swath of a national park was closed due to the overtaking of the area by members of drug cartels. Phoenix, AZ is now the nations' leading city for kidnapping and second in the world. Both of these very serious problems were noted by members of Stark's town hall meeting.

But does Stark think it's a problem? Not judging by his remarks to the audience.

We hear Starks's mockery of questioners, then condescension, then incoherence. Once the initial outrage subsided, I was left to question this guy's sanity. He made it crystal clear that he doesn't consider the invasion by Mexican nationals across our border a serious issue at all, even when it results in the death of Americans.

I must ask my fellow Americans in California: Is this the type of representation that you want in Washington? Does Starks' dismissal of this most serious problem concern you at all? You have a well-known problem with illegals, do you not think that government inaction is a contributing factor?

What of the Constitutional aspects of ignoring border security? The questioner in the video correctly points out that it is the federal government's duty and responsibility to enforce border security. Why is this still not being done? How many more innocent Americans must die before this issue is adequately addressed and order restored to our Mexican border?

It's at this point that I'm compelled to state that Pete Stark is unfit for office and should resign immediately or be removed by recall vote. He has made his views known and they don't seem to include his Constitutional oath to protect and defend the nation. He is ignoring his duties and showing his clear contempt for the constituents of his district and the nation in the face of a mounting crisis.

And I still can't believe what I saw and heard. What a slap in the face, especially on the 4th of July weekend.